“Ayaṁ kho āyasmā Upavāṇo dīgharattaṁ Bhagavato upaṭṭhāko
“This venerable Upavāṇa has been the Gracious One's attendant for a long time, Ven. Upavāṇa was one of the monks attending on the Buddha in the first twenty years after the Awakening, before Ānanda was appointed full-time to that position, so he had been attending on the Buddha for a very long time indeed. 02

“Yebhuyyena Ānanda dasasu lokadhātūsu
“Almost all of the Divinities, The Commentary explains that almost is said because beings without perception (asaññasattā), and those in the formless worlds (arūpadevatā) didn't come. 03 Ānanda, from the ten world-elements BJT adds sahassīsu, which would mean: from the ten thousand world-elements. 04

Devatā sannipatitā Tathāgataṁ dassanāya
have assembled to see the Realised One,

yāvatā Ānanda Kusinārā Upavattanaṁ Mallānaṁ Sālavanaṁ samantato
everywhere around Kusinārā and the Mallas' Sal Wood at Upavattana for as far as

dvādasa yojanāni natthi so padeso vālaggakoṭinittudanamatto pi
twelve leagues there is no place, even so much as a tip of a pricking hair,

mahesakkhāhi Devatāhi apphuṭo,
unpervaded by powerful Divinities,

Devatā Ānanda ujjhāyanti: ‘Dūrā vatamhā āgatā Tathāgataṁ dassanāya,
and the Divinities, Ānanda, are complaining, (saying): ‘We have come from afar to see the Realised One,

ajjeva rattiyā pacchime yāme Tathāgatassa Parinibbānaṁ bhavissati,
and today during the last watch of the night will be the Realised One's Final Emancipation,

ayañ-ca mahesakkho bhikkhu Bhagavato purato ṭhito ovārento,
and this powerful monk is stood in front concealing the Realised One, Comm: Thero kira pakatiyāpi mahāsarīro hatthipotakasadiso, so paṁsukūlacīvaraṁ pārupitvā atimahā viya ahosi; the Elder was naturally big in body, like a young elephant, and after donning his rag-robe he was like someone exceedingly big. 05

na mayaṁ labhāma pacchime kāle Tathāgataṁ dassanāyā’.” ti
and we are not able to see the Realised One at the last moment.’ ”

bāhā paggayha kandanti chinnapātaṁ papatanti āvaṭṭanti vivaṭṭanti:
throwing up their arms, falling down (as though) cut down, rolling backwards and forwards as though with their feet cut off, they are crying:

‘Atikhippaṁ Bhagavā parinibbāyissati,
‘Too quickly the Gracious One will attain Final Emancipation,

atikhippaṁ Sugato parinibbāyissati,
too quickly the Fortunate One will attain Final Emancipation,

atikhippaṁ Cakkhumā loke antaradhāyissatī!’ ti
too quickly the Visionary in the world will disappear!’

bāhā paggayha kandanti chinnapātaṁ papatanti āvaṭṭanti vivaṭṭanti,
throwing up their arms, falling down (as though) cut down, rolling backwards and forwards as though with their feet cut off, they are crying:

‘Atikhippaṁ Bhagavā parinibbāyissati,
‘Too quickly the Gracious One will attain Final Emancipation,

atikhippaṁ Sugato parinibbāyissati,
too quickly the Fortunate One will attain Final Emancipation,

atikhippaṁ Cakkhumā loke antaradhāyissatī!’ ” ti
too quickly the Visionary in the world will disappear!’ ”

Yā pana tā Devatā vītarāgā tā satā sampajānā adhivāsenti:
But those Divinities who have cut off passion, mindfully, with full awareness, they endure, (thinking):